Electric sparking igniter.



H. M. POPE. ELECTRIC SPARKING IGN ITER. I APPLICATION FILED MAY 1018.99. 1,181,247. Patented May 2,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. M. POPE. ELECTRIC SPARKING IGNITER. APPLICATION FILED MAY I0, 1899. 1181 247. Patented May 2,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- mys.

HARRY M. POPE, 0F KARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO MAXWELL MOTOR COMPANY, INC., 0! DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

ELECTRIC SPARRING IGNITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 11916.

Application filed may 10, 1899. Serial No. 716,197.

object to provide a device of this character which shall not bedependent upon the use of an electric battery for the creation of thecurrent, the use of such a battery being undesirable under someconditions, as when, for example, the igniter is applied to a motorvehicle. The improved igniter has been devised with especial referenceto its use in producing the igniting sparks for an internalcombustion'engine, and some features of the invention are directlyrelated to such use, although the invention, in its broadest aspect, isnot of necessity restricted to such use.

One particular. object is to provide for the production of an ignitercurrent of great intensity at certain periods only, with correspondingeconomy at other times as a resultant, and to this end the improvedigniter embodies a permanent magnet and an armature wound for analternating current, one of such parts being rotated with respect to theother. In. the application of the igniter to an internal combustionengine the rotated part'is driven in a definite relation to therotationof the engine shaft, so that the spark shall be produced at the properinstant with relation to the movement of the engine piston, such timingof the spark being possible without the aid of additional currentcontrolling devices for the reason that the spark producing current isan alternating current and is strong enough to produce the spark onlywhen it is at or near its maximum phase. The apparatus required istherefore exceedingly simple, particularly when the device is applied toa single cylinder engine; if it is applied to a two-cylinder engine orother multiple cylinder engine other controlling devices are necessaryin ordeer that the spark shall be produced first in one cylinder andthen in the next. In neither case is the required apparatus particularlydelicate or liable to injury.

A further object of theinvention is to provide for the shifting orvarying of the period of greatest intensity of the current Withoutaffecting the other advantageous features-of the igniter, that is tosay, to make it possibleto delay or to advance the production of thespark with reference to the movement of the engine piston, it being wellunderstood that it is desirable, in internal combustion engines, to beable to vary the instant of ignition of the charge. This result iseasily accomplished with this alternating current igniter by making thenonrotating part of the igniter adjustable so as to advance or delay themaximum phase, that 1s, the spark-producing phase of the' current.

The invention will be more particularly described hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings in which, for purposes ofexplanation. certain practical 6111- bodiments of the invention areillustrated.

In the drawings,-Figure l is a front elevation of a two-cylinder engineto which the invention is applied, the casing of the engine being partlybroken out to show parts Within." Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticrepresentation of the igniter and its connections as applied to a singlecylinder engine, different positions of adjustment of the non-rotatingparts beingindicated by dotted lines. Fig.

3 represents conventionallyv the alternate current curve, illustratingthe shifting or variation in time of the-high-point of the currentphase. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section of an igniter unit and itsconnected parts as adapted for application to a twocylinder engine. Fig.5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. i; with the casing brokenoff. Figs. 6 and '7 are detail views, in side and plan view, of thecontact making and breaking devices shown in Figs. at and 5. Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic representation of the igniter and its connections asapplied to atwo-cylinder engine.

Referring first to the arrangement shown in Fig. 2-, which illustratesthe application of the invention to a single cylinder engine, apermanent magnet is represented at A, within the fields of which islocated an armature B wound for an alternate current. As represented inthe figure the field magnet A is relatively stationary, althoughadjustable about. the axis of the armature, which is symmetrical withrespect to the common axis of the armature and field and the armature isarranged to be rotated by any suitable means, but at a definite orconstant speed ratio with the engine shaft so as to produce a constantlyvarying or approximately sine wave current. F roni'the coils of thearmature connection is established through the primary coils of atransformer or inductor C, the secondary coils of said transformer orinductor being connected with the electrodes at D, located within thecylinder or explosion chamber E of the sin-i gle cylinder explosiveengine. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be readily understood that theigniting spark will be produced at the electrodes I) only when thealternating current produced in the primary circuit is at or near thehigh point of its phase, as indicated by the heavy part in y f thecontinuous line 1, Which represents the ap-, proximately sine wave curveof the current in its normal position, and can pass by the transformerto the secondary circuit and thence to the electrodes in the cylinder ofthe explosion chamber. It will be evident also that the spark will heproduced at regular intervals, depending upon the speed of rotation ofthe armature, so long as the relative positions of the permanent fieldmagnet and the armature remain unchanged. If, however, the magnet bepartially rotated about the axis of the armature, in the reversedirection to the rotation of the armature, as represented for example,by the lower dotted line position in Fig. 2, the high point of thecurrent phase will also be shifted. as represented by'the heavy part ay" of thedotted line 2 of Fig. 3, and the instant of production of'thespark will be correspondingly advanced. On the other hand, if l themagnet be shifted in the opposite direction, as represented by the upperdotted line position in Fig. 2, the high point of the current phase willbe shifted, as represented by the heavy part in, 3 of the broken line 3of Fig. 3, and the instant of production of the spark willbecorrespondingly delayed. The igniter would operate with no other partsthan those already referred to and indeed Without any transformer, whichis not an essential element. but in practice it is preferable to providefor a further intensification of the current, as by including in theprimary circuit an ordinary condenser, which is sufiiciently representedat b, or for a plurality of sparks and therefore greater certainty ofignition by providing an ordinary vibrator, indicated at b-, inconnection with the transformer or inductor, or to employ both of thesedevices together if it is desired to further insure the ignition. Itwill be undertsood that thesedevices operate with their own functions,and that the current, after passing the zero point, accumulates un til,at or near the high point, it reaches such a tension as to dischargewith sufficient intensity to produce an igniting spark.

All of the parts employed in the improved igniter as applied to a singlecylinder engine are sufiiciently represented by the conventional signsemployed in Fig. 2, and it is unnecessary to show them more in detail,particularly as like parts are shown in detail. so far as theirconstruction or relation has to do with the present invention, in

other figures of the drawings which illustrate the application of theinvention to a two cylinder engine, now to be described.

In Fig. 1 two cylinders E are shown, the pistons being severallyconnected in the usual manner, 180 apart.= to a common shaft F. Theigniter'unit is supported on the main casing F. and is inclosed andprotected by a casing F. In this instance the magnet A .is rotatedin adetermined relation to the rotation of the engine shaft and the armatureB is relatively fixed, but adjustable about the axis of the magnet. Asrepresented in Fig. 4 the magnet A is secured to the spindle A which issupported on ball bearings within the casing F and has secured at itslower end a gear a which meshes with a gear f on the shaft F, which inthis case is equal to the gear a, so that the rotated part of theigniter is driven in definite or constant speed ratio witl1;,the.engineshaft, provision being made in the secondary circuit for taking off thecurrent for the respective cylinders of the engine as the currentreaches its maximum. at opposite points, either plus or minus, it beingunderstood that the connection is made for each electrode circuit duringa short period which indicates the maximum or minimum phase, point ortime of the current, as represented by the heavy part a. 3 of the line1, in Fig. 3. The armature B, wound for alternating current, issupported by a cap B which rests upon the casing F and is rotatablethereon to a limited extent, at the will of the operator, for thepurpose of translating the high point of the current in one directionorthe other to vary the instant of production of the spark andconsequently, if the igniter is applied to an internal combustionengine, the instant of ignition of the charge.

As represented in Figs. 4 and 5, a spring 6 may be used to turn thearmature in one llta arenas-v direction and a cord or wire 0* may beextended from the armature or cap to any point convenient to theoperator to permit of the rotation or rotary adjustment of the armaturein the opposite direction.- Any suitable means, however, may beemployedfor effecting the rotary adjustment of the armature.

The devices for taking oil the current at the proper time to produce thespark in one and then in the other of the engine cylinders may be of anysuitable or desired form. As shown in the drawings, two insulating disksA and B are secured respectively to the permanent field magnet A and thearmature B. The disk A is provided at proper points with contact platesa and the disk B carries a corresponding number of pairs of separatedcontact. fingers b through which the circuit is closed by the contact ofone of the plates at at the proper time, the said contact fingers beingconnected with the electrodes D, as shown in Fig. 8, and the secondarywinding of the transformer or inductor C. The primary winding of saidtransformer or inductor is connected with the Winding of the armature B,preferably through a condenser b or vibrator b, or both, as alsoindicated in Fig. 8. It will be evident that with the contact plate orplates a of the circuit closer or switch, properly placed, the currentin the secondary will be directed to one cylinder or the other at themaximum or minimum part of the phase of the alternate current generated,when it is of sufiicient intensity to produce the spark,

and will be delivered to the electrodes through the describedconnections or others suited for the purpose. The period or instant ofthe spark can be varied or adjusted at the will of the operator by therotary adjustment of the armature, as already described with respect toFig. 2, although in this case the adjustment is effected not only bytranslating the high point, but by changing the point where the contactplate a bridges the connection between the contact fingers to keep suchcircuit closings in harmony with the alternate current phases.

It is obviously immaterial, so far as this invention is concerned,whether the armature or the permanent field magnet is rotated, and whatmeans be employed to adjust the non-rotating part, whether a devicecontrolled by the operator or a device controlled by an ordinarygovernor, and, so far as the use" of an alternating current generator isconcerned, whether the field be a permanent magnet or not. It is also tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the preciseconstruction and ar rangement of parts shown and described herein.

By the term fixed igniting device used in the claims, I mean a device inwhich one about its axis, means to rotate said rotating part at a.constant speed ratio with the en gine to generate a constantly varyingcur rent, a contact plate carried with the rotatable part, separatecontact fingers carried by the relatively fixed part and adapted tocontact with said plate, and connections from said fingers to theelectrodes.

2. The combination with an internal coinbustion engine and a casingtherefor, said casing having an opening therein, of an electric ignitermounted detachably on the engine casing. comprisinga generator, andintermeshing gears for operating said generator from the engine, one ofsuch gears be ing mounted on the engine and the other of such gearsbeing mounted on the igniter.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine and a casingtherefor, said casing having an opening therein, of an alternatingelectric current generator, a frame therefor adapted to be detachablysecured to the engine casing andhaving a part pro jected into the enginecasing through the opening therein. and intermeshing gains for operatingthe said generator from the engine, one of such gears being mounted onthe engine and the other of such gears being carried by the generatorframe.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft with a gear thereon and a casing therefor. said casing having anopening therein, of an elec tric igniter mounted on the engine casin andcomprising an alternating current generator, a shaft projected withinthe engine casing and having a gear to be driven by the gear pn thecrank shaft and carrying the rotatable part of the generator. and meanscarried by the shaft outside of the engine casing for taking 01? thehighpoint of the current phase.

5. The combination with an internal con:- bustion engine having aplurality of cylinders and a c 'ank shaft with a gear thereon, of acasing inclosingsaid crank shaft and gear and having an opening therein.an electric igniter mounted on the engine casing and comprising analternating current generator, a shaft pro ecting within the enginecasing and having on its inner end a gear adapted to be driven from thegear on the crank shaft and carrying the rotatable This specificationsigned and witnessed part cf the generator, and an electric switch thiseighth day of May, A. D. 1899. outside'of the engine casin with connec-T tions for closing the circuit $0 the cylinders HARRX POPE 0f theengine successively; the movable mem- In the presence of her of saidswitch being carried .by said H. P. MAXIM,- shaft. HERMANN F. CUNTZ.

copies of this patent may be obtaineii for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patenta,

I Washington, D. 0."

